On Feb. 25 a jury in Milwaukee awarded a radiologist $1 million for doctors' bills and damages in her lawsuit against glove manufacturer Smith & Nephew of England. Workers' Compensation Acts, in most jurisdictions, do not prohibit an additional claim against the manufacturers of the latex gloves.
It has been reported that employers could see increased workers' compensation claims if they ignore the fact that employees can have severe allergic reaction to latex.
Workers' compensation might not be the only avenue that employees will pursue if they believe that a health care facility's latex policies are inadequate. Health care providers soon might see lawsuits claiming violation of the ADA.